It is also important that teachers articulate vertically to make sure their instructional program is aligned and increases rigor as the students advance grades.
Teams of teachers must regularly meet to examine student work and reach consensus on what proficient performance looks like at their grade level.
One of our buildings is using Team Tuesdays. The first Tuesday is to be talk about lesson planning, another is about Learning Focused Schools implementation, another is about student work and the fourth is about data analysis. At times, a school support person attends too (literacy coach, instructional support teacher, me).
Drastically reduce the routine of meetings, reports and other administrative activities that take time and energy away from these essential dialogues
"Principals play a critical role in setting the expectation that planning and examining student work and performance data should be an ongoing, collaborative process."
Therefore, the National Education Association encourages Congress to listen to the voices of educators in developing legislative proposals and offers these principles for ESEA reauthorization:
Under this new policy, teachers in eligible, rural districts who are highly qualified in at least one subject will have three years to become highly qualified in the additional subjects they teach.
Now, states may determine--based on their current certification requirements--to allow science teachers to demonstrate that they are highly qualified either in "broad field" science or individual fields of science (such as physics, biology or chemistry).
Under the new guidelines, states may streamline this evaluation process by developing a method for current, multi-subject teachers to demonstrate through one process that they are highly qualified in each of their subjects and maintain the same high standards in subject matter mastery.
No Child Left Behind allows states to create an alternative method (High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation or HOUSSE) for teachers not new to the field--as determined by each state--to certify they know the subject they teach.
Special educators who do not directly instruct students in core academic subjects or who provide only consultation to highly qualified teachers in adapting curricula, using behavioral supports and interventions or selecting appropriate accommodations, do not need to demonstrate subject-matter competency in those subjects.
Highly Qualified Teachers: To be deemed highly qualified, teachers must have: 1) a bachelor's degree, 2) full state certification or licensure, and 3) prove that they know each subject they teach.
bill that advances standards-based education reform and emphasizes improvement in reading and writing.
proponents of the bill, which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, say that there has been measurable improvement in student achievement in reading and math and an increased accountability of schools,
detractors argue that NCLB has caused states to lower achievement goals and motivates teachers to “teach to the test,” putting far less attention to subjects—like art, music and social studies—not represented in the standardized exam.
No Child Left Behind is largely based on the belief that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The act requires states to develop assessment tests in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The act does not set a national achievement standard but rather leaves standards to each state.
Kanter said that the administration will seek, among other things, to elevate the status of teachers, decrease high school dropout rates (currently 1.2 million students per year), promote early learning (birth to age 3) initiatives and drive reform to push for higher school standards.
he reauthorization needs to focus on education research, specifically in relation to recent neuroscience advances, teaching excellence, early childhood education, common core high standards, expansion of subject areas to be evaluated and the development of strong school leaders.
No Child Left Behind, there is very little reference to the role of principals and the importance of that role to school success and academic success,”
Alonso said that while the goals of NCLB were bold, the means to get there were modest. Too little attention, he said, was placed on pedagogy and methodology.
They said that curricula have been dangerously trimmed because schools are teaching to narrow tests.
ed that the current tests create “bubble students,” those who fall just below the standard and are given an inordinate amount of attentio
any reauthorization needs to promote and reward innovation in education.
"...If the focus of an educational system is student learning, as most mission statements claim, then leaders must compare the reality of their employment of technology with their stated intention."
Michelle,
Thanks for posting this! Honestly, one of the best, most "focused" articles I have read in a long time. It really nails the issue of having little or no focus or direction when we're swamped by layers upon layers of standards, initiatives, and skills. Makes me wonder if it might not be a good idea to choose one or two of the NETS-S as a starting point, rather than be daunted by trying to integrate ALL of them.
"ISSUE: Many educators and advisory groups emphasize high standards as an important factor in improving the quality of education for all students. As a result, schools and districts are looking at ways to develop a high-quality curriculum that is based on standards. An important starting point for this effort is a carefully thought-out curriculum framework that reflects the standards and goals for which the education community is willing to be held accountable. Developing a standards-based curriculum requires changes in the way teachers teach and schools are run, so care must be taken to build capacity for all educators and to provide adequate time for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the curriculum. The curriculum-development process also should provide opportunities for reflection and revision so that the curriculum is updated and improved on a regular basis. "
UDL Spotlight aims to
* Recognize and celebrate implementations of UDL features -whether or not they are called by the UDL name
* Educate web visitors about UDL by making explicit connections between the featured work and the UDL Guidelines-Version 1.0
* Stimulate conversation* about what constitutes "best practices."
* Foster new UDL-based relationships, partnerships, and innovations
Each featured Spotlight illustrates some of the CAST UDL Guidelines. Taken as a group, the Spotlights build a vision for a future of learning environments that are truly universal.
These days, we are demanding more of students than the acquisition of facts: We want them to ask questions, find information, and use that information effectively. We want them to learn how to learn.
CAST has drawn on the neuroscience of learning and the study of media to develop the concept of Universal Design for Learning. The central practical premise of UDL is that a curriculum should include alternatives to make it accessible and appropriate for individuals with different backgrounds, learning styles, abilities, and disabilities in widely varied learning contexts.
UDL provides a framework that helps teachers differentiate their instruction through carefully articulated goals and individualized materials, methods, and assessments.